As the 40th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster approaches, a couple recalls their extraordinary wedding day, which unfolded amid the chaos of the nuclear power plant explosion in 1986. While their celebration was intended to be a joyous occasion, the shadow of the cataclysmic event loomed large over their special day in Pripyat, a city located just 2.5 miles from the nuclear reactor.
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It was shortly after midnight on April 26, 1986, when Iryna Stetsenko prepared for her wedding day in her family’s apartment. The calm of the night was shattered by a sudden, loud rumble that sent shockwaves through the city. “It was as if many planes were flying overhead,” she recollected, adding that the vibrations rattled the glass in her windows and disturbed her peaceful anticipation of the day ahead.
Serhiy Lobanov, Stetsenko’s fiancé and an engineer at the Chernobyl plant, perceived the initial sensation remarkably differently, mistaking it for a minor earthquake. However, he soon woke early to run last-minute errands in preparation for their wedding. Upon glancing out of the window, he saw soldiers equipped with gas masks and workers washing the streets with a foamy substance. Alarmingly, he also spotted smoke rising from reactor Four at the power plant.
Inside the control room of Chernobyl, just a few hours before the disaster, engineers were conducting a routine systems test when a power surge occurred, leading to one of the most disastrous nuclear accidents in history. As Lobanov went about his errands, he encountered colleagues who had been summoned for urgent work, although they were perplexed regarding the specifics of the incident.
Meanwhile, concern permeated through Stetsenko’s family as they received ominous reports from neighbours, alluding to a dire situation without any concrete details. Worried about the impending wedding, Stetsenko’s mother reached out to local authorities for guidance and was told to “not panic,” assuring her that “all planned events in the city should go ahead.”
Consequently, Lobanov and Stetsenko proceeded with their plans, exchanging vows at the Palace of Culture, a venue which now stands uninhibited and dilapidated, a testimony to time and tragedy. However, the atmosphere at their wedding reception was far from celebratory. Lobanov reflected on the somber mood, stating, “Everyone understood that something had happened, but no one knew the details.”
Their post-wedding reality was soon drastically altered when, in the early hours of the following day, a friend alerted the new couple about an evacuation train scheduled to depart at 5 a.m. In a frantic rush, Stetsenko donned her wedding dress again, Realising she had no other clothes, and hastily returned to her family home to change.
Onboard the train, the couple witnessed a surreal sight—a bright, ominous glow in the distance, a visual manifestation of the disaster that had just occurred. Describing the scene, Lobanov noted, “It was as if you were looking into the eye of a volcano,” a perception that marked the end of their life in Pripyat. Initially framed by authorities as a temporary evacuation, the couple would ultimately not return to their hometown.
Over the days that followed, Stetsenko received news that would change their lives once more—she was pregnant. In the midst of uncertainty and fear over potential radiation exposure, she faced a profound emotional battle with the decision on whether to continue with the pregnancy. Despite her worries, a female doctor encouraged her to proceed. In time, they welcomed a healthy daughter named Katya, bringing joy amidst the turmoil.
In the decades since the disaster, both Stetsenko and Lobanov have experienced various health issues that they believe may stem from their exposure to radiation. Stetsenko underwent knee replacements, while Lobanov suffered a heart attack shortly after visiting Pripyat again in 2016. Life continued to throw challenges their way when, in 2022, their daughter’s apartment in Kyiv fell victim to a missile strike, forcing them to relocate to Berlin.
Today, the couple reflects on their shared journey through adversity. “I think we really had to go through some difficulties in life in order to understand that we can’t be one without the other,” Stetsenko expressed. “After 40 years, I can say with certainty that we are like a thread with a needle. We do everything together.” Their enduring bond serves as a poignant reminder of love’s resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges.